Bulk liquids are transported in various ways. One of these ways is in what is called a liner bag. A liner bag is a relatively large bag of sheet synthetic plastics material containing, for example, up to 1000 liters of liquid. Because the liner bag itself has little mechanical strength, the bag is contained within an outer structure. The outer structure is not liquid proof but supports the bag and prevents it bursting. The bag itself prevents liquid leaks.
Conventionally, a liner bag incorporates one or more of what are commonly referred to as glands. A gland comprises a flange which is welded to the sheet synthetic plastics material of the liner bag and a tubular portion onto which a sealing cap is screwed. The flange and cap form a gland structure and are shipped with the liner bag.
To fill the bag it is necessary to remove the cap. Using the thread onto which the cap was screwed (and which can be an internal thread or an external thread) an intermediate component is attached to the gland. This component is screwed into or onto the gland until the two engage with one another in a leak proof manner. The intermediate component has an external groove.
Liquid is fed into the bag through a hose which has, on the free end thereof, an attachment which is often referred to as a "cam-lock" , "snap-lock" or "tongue and groove" attachment. This attachment includes a sleeve to which the hose is secured. The sleeve has two diametrically opposed holes therein. The attachment further includes two levers which protrude radially outwardly on opposite sides of the sleeve. The levers project into the sleeve through said holes and the levers are pivotally mounted on the sleeve close to their inner ends. The inner ends of the levers are in the form of arcuate cams.
In use, the attachment is placed over the intermediate component so that the cams at the inner ends of the levers lie radially outwardly of the external groove of the intermediate component. Force is then applied to the outer ends of the levers so that their inner ends move inwardly. The cams enter the external groove at diametrically opposed locations thereof. The configuration of the cams is such that a force is exerted in one direction on the intermediate component and a force in the opposite direction on the attachment thereby locking the intermediate component and the attachment to one another in a leak proof manner. The liner bag is then filled.
Once filling is complete, the levers are pushed to their inoperative positions thereby releasing the attachment from the intermediate component by withdrawing the cams from the external groove. Once the attachment is free of the intermediate component, the intermediate component is unscrewed from the gland and the cap screwed back onto the gland.